Conveying apparatus.



No. 69I,9||. Patented Jan. 28, I902. T. S. MILLER.

CONVEYING APPARATUS.

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(Application ed June 9, 1900 2 Sheets-Sheet I.

(No Model.)

T. S. MILLER.

CONVEYING APPARATUS.

(Application filed June 9, 1900.) (N o M 0 d e l Patented Jan. 28, I902.

. 2 S heets-Sheet 2.

m: nomus Farms 00. PHOTO-LITHO" wAsmnmcn. n. r.

NrrED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

. THOMAS SPENCER MILLER, OF SOUTH ORANGE, NEW JERSEY.

CONVEYING APPARATUS.

$PECIFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 691,911, dated January28, 1902.

Application filed June 9. 1900. Serial No. 19,671. (No model.)

To rtZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS SPENCER MIL- LEE, of south Orange, Essexcounty, New J ers'ey, have invented a new and useful Improvement inConveying Apparatus, of which the following is a specification. I

This invention consists in improvements on the apparatus shown in myLetters Patent of the United States No. 637,143, dated November 14,1899.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side view of two shipsequipped with my improvements, the collier heingin tow of thebattle-ship. Fig. 2 is a detail of the apparatus carried by said ships.Fig. 3 is a side view of two ships equipped with my improvements, whichdiffers from Fig. 1 in that the battle-shi p is in tow of the collier.Fig. 4 is a detail of the apparatus of Fig.3. Fig. 5 is a detail showingthe elevator employed in both Figs. 1 and 3. Fig. 6 is a cross-sectionof said elevator. Fig. 7 is a detail showing the elevating-carriage withthe loaded bags hanging thereon.

A is the receiving-ship to which coal, provisions, mail, or othercommodity is to be delivered from the ship B.

C is a rope connecting the two ships.

The ship A of Fig. 1 and the shipB of Fig. 3 are provided withpropelling mechanisms, so that while the apparatus is in operation thepropelling mechanism on one ship causes it to pull the other ship by thepull-line C. If, as is preferable, neither ship is anchored, thispulling action will tow the pulled boat along, but otherwise if thepulledboat is at anchor. In either case, however, the propelling of oneof the ships in a direction away from the other, to which it isattachedby the pull-line G, will serve to maintain as uniform a distancebetween the ships as the elements will permit.

D is a load-support from which the load is suspended While in transit.In the particular form of load-support shown in the drawings it is acarriage provided with wheels that run .upon a rope across the span. I

E is a transit-rope extending from an elevated support F on one boat toan elevated support G on the other. If the transit-motor hereinafterdescribed is located wholly off of the receiving-ship, as I prefer andas hereinafter particularly described, the transitrope E will consist oftwo branches, one of which, 6, extends from the elevatedsupport on thedelivery-ship to and around a sheave g on the elevated support of thereceivingship, and the other of which branches, 6 extends back to theelevated support F on the delivery-ship and thence to the elevatedsupport F on the deliveryship. The two branches 6' and e are preferablysubstantially parallel. The transit-rope E is fastened to theloadsupport D in some manner suitable for moving the load-support acrossthe span, the preferable method being by such a gripping engagement asis shown in said Patent No. 637,143. The transit-motorconsists of thetwo rope-drums h, which acts as the forward actuator, and the drum 7L2,which acts as the backward actuator. Each of these drums is impelled bya friction-clutch, and the speed of the friction-clutch driving theforward actuator 71 may be varied independently of the speed of thefriction-clutch driving the backward actuatorh Thisindependeuceofspeedvariation is accomplished in the example shown in the drawings by havingsaid actuators run by separate motors h and It". Iprefer that each ofthe rope-dru ms h and 71 and the friction mechanism by which it ispropelled and the means of controlling such friction mechanism shall besubstantially the same as that shown for the friction-drum 72/ in saidPatent No. 637,143. The support F may be provided with the sheaves f andf over which, respectively, the branches of the transit-rope E mayextend. One branch extends down to the forward actuator h, and the otherextends over the sheave f and thence down to the backward actuator 71 Inorder to better insure the uniform elevation of the load-carriage duringits transit, I prefer to combine with the parts above deover the sternof the towed boat and connect- IOO ed at its end with a sea-anchor M,trailing in the water behind the towed boat.

K is the elevating-carrier, and 7c is the fallrope therefor, extendingover sheaves k and k on the support F, from which the load starts acrossthe span. The elevating-carrier contains fixed fingers k upon thehorizontal tips of which is supported the bale It, from which the bags nn n are supported.

0 is a tubular elevator-way extending from the keel of the vessel toabove the level of the ropeway at the support F. This forms a completeinclosure for the bags While being elevated from the bottom of thevessel to the point at which they are delivered to the loadsupport. Itis provided with openings 0 0 and 0 one between each two decks of thevessel, so that the elevating-carrier can receive its load from eitherdeck.

0 and 0' are guideways on opposite sides of the elevator-tubing, whichserve to guide the elevating-carrier K in its transit.

P is an opening into which the cables L, e, and e enter, so that theload-support D also passes into said opening P in such manner that itssupporting-finger d enters under the bale as the same is held by thefingers k of the elevating-carrier K at the top of its ascent.

p and p are deflectors whereby the loadcarrier D as it enters theopening P is guided to the center of said opening, so that its horn dproperly engages with the bale k. In order to permit the bags to passout through the opening P, these deflectors are respectively pivoted onopposite sides of the opening P and are held in the position shown infull lines in Fig. 6 by the springs q and g which are so constructed asto permit the deflectors to swing outward into the position shown indotted lines in Fig. 6 when the bags are making their exit through theopening P.

The operation is as follows: The elevatingcarrier K being at any deck inthe tubular elevator-way O, the operator hangs a bale 70, carrying bags,on the fingers of the elevating carrier. Then the same is elevated bythe fall-rope 70 to a position such that the fingers d of theload-support in returning enter the bale 76*. The fingers of theload-support are constructed as described in said Patent No. 637,143, sothat as the load-support starts on its outward journey the bale 70 isretained by the fingers d and pulled bodily off of the fingers k As theload-support is on its outward journey it is impelled forward by theforward actuator h, but the backward actuator k is constantly tending tohaul it backward and is only prevented from doing so by the fact thatthe friction of the forward actuator is stronger than the friction-ofthe backward actuator, causing the latter friction to slip.

In order that the apparatus may meet the varying conditions due to thelurching of the ships with the greatest certainty and quickness, Iconstruct and operate the outward. transit-actuator so as to run at aspeed adapted to actuate the transit-rope at a speed greater than therelative motion between said boats due to the waves. The maximum speedat which the distance between supports upon the two ships may beexpected to decrease from waves or other causes may be taken as fivefeet per second. The forward transit-actuator will be speeded so as tohaul in the transit-rope at a rate in excess of ten feet per secondsay,for example, at the rate of fifteen feet per second. Now suppose duringthe transit of a load that the ships lurch toward each other at themaximum rate of five feet per second. Since there are two lengths of therope E stretched betweenthe ships, this will produce a slack in the ropeat the rate of ten feet persecond; butthe rate at which this slack isproduced is less than the fifteen feet per sec 0nd of the forwardtransit-drum, and consequently the forward transit-drumtakes upthisslack as fast as produced ,with five feet per second speed to spare, andthe normal elevation of the load ismaintained. Now suppose that theships lurch away from each other. This will demand a greater length ofrope on the span, which will be supplied by the backward transit-drum(which for the time being is acting as the tension-drum) by causing itto paybut at a speed accelerated to any extent demanded. Therefore itwill be seen that under all possible conditions the apparatus willmaintain the load at substantially a normal elevation and relieve itselfautomatically from undue strain. As the operator of the forwardtransit-actuator sees that the load-carriage is approaching the end ofits outward journey and is about to strike the abutment by which it iscaused to drop its load onto the receiving vessel, it is desir able thathe should slacken its speed, and since the speed of the actuator of thedrum h may be varied independently of the speed of the actuatordrum 7??the operator will permit the drum 7?? to continue at a constant speed,and therefore a speed sufficient to take care of any slack that mayresult from the lurching of the vessels toward one another, while hereduces the speed of the actuator of h, so as to bring the load-carriagegently against its abutment.

Should for any reason the transit-rope E fail to properly perform itsfunction in maintaining the constant elevation of the loadsupport D, thesupporting-rope L will always supply the needed support, whatever may bethe position of the load. This supportingrope L also serves to preventthe overturning of the load-carriage and, if desired, will enable a muchgreater load to be transported across the span for a given engine-power.

I claim- 1. In combination, a pulling-boat, a pulled boat, a pull-rope,a transit-rope, a load-support moved thereby, a rope-drum connected ICCwith each end of said transit-rope, and an independent motor foractuating each of said drums.

2. In combination, a pulling-boat, a pulled boat, a pull-rope, atransit-rope, a load-support moved thereby, an actuator of saidtransit-rope, a tension device acting upon said transit-rope, asupplemental supporting-rope and a tension device acting upon saidsupplemental supporting-rope.

3. In combination, a pulling-boat, a pulled boat, a pull rope, a transitrope extending from one boat to the other and back again, aload-carriage running upon one branch of said transit-rope and moved bythe other branch thereof, an actuator of said transit-rope, a

tension device acting upon said transit-rope,

a supplemental supporting-rope and a tension device acting upon saidsupporting-rope.

4. In combination, a pulling-boat,-a pulled boat, a pull-rope, atransit-rope, a load-support moved thereby, a rope-drum connected Witheach end of said transit-rope, independently-controllable means foractuating each of said rope-drums, a supplemental supportingrope and atension device acting upon said supplemental supporting-rope,

5. In combination, a pulling-boat, a pulled boat, a pull-rope, atransit-rope, a load-support moved thereby, a rope-drum connected witheach end of said transit-rope, independently-controllablemeansforactuatingeach of said rope-drums, a supplemental supportingropeand a sea -anchor connected with said supporting-rope.

6. In combination, a pulling-boat, a pulled boat, a tow-line connectingthe two boats, a trackWay-cable extending from the pullingboat over andto the rear of the pulled boat, guiding-supports for the trackway-cableupon the pulled boat, a sea-anchor on the rear of the trackway-cable,and means for transferring loads between the boats upon thetrackway-cable.

7. In combination, a pulling-boat, a pulled boat, a tow-line connectingthe two boats, a trackway-cable extending from thepullingheat over andto the rear of the pulled boat, guiding-supports for the trackway-cableupon the pulled boat, a sea-anchor secured to the trackway cable behindthe pulled boat, a yielding connection of the traokway-cable with thepulling-boat, and means for transferring loads between the two boatsoversaid trackway-cable.

8. In combination, a pulling-boat, a pulled boat, a tow-line connectingthe boat, a track way-cable extending from the pulling-boat over and tothe rear of the pulled boat, guiding-supports for said cable upon thepulled boat, a sea-anchor upon said cable astern of the pulled boat, acarrier adapted to travel upon the trackway-cable between the boats, atraversin -cable connected with said carrier, and actuators for saidtraversing-cable.

9. The combination with a ropeway, a loadcarrier and means for movingsaid carrier lengthwise of said ropeway, of a conveyingtube leading tothe ropeway, and a load-conveyer movable in said tube and adapted topresent the load to the load-carrier.

10. The combination with a ropeway,a loadcarrier and means for movingthe load-carrier length wise of said ropeway, of a conveyingtube leadingto the ropeway and having a load exit-opening adjacent the ropeway, anda load-conveyer movable in said tube and adapted to present the load tothe load-carrier.

11. The combination witharopeway,aloadcarrier and means for moving theload-carrier lengthwise of said ropeway, of a conveyingtube leading toand inclosing one end of the ropeway and having an opening permittingthe passage of the carrier and its load, and a load-conveyer in saidtube adapted to present the loads to the carrier.

12. In combination a ropeway having a car rier and means for traversingthe carrier thereon, a hoisting-tube leading up to the ropeway andhaving an exit-opening beneath the ropeway, and a load-hoist operatingwithin said tube and adapted to present the load to the ropeway-carrier.

13. In combination a ropeway having a carrier and means for traversingthe carrier thereon, a hoisting-tube leading up to the ropeway andhaving an exit-opening beneath the ropeway, a load-hoist operatingwithin said tube and adapted to present the load to the ropeway-carrier,and swinging sectors partly closing the exit-openin g in the tube andadapted to properly guide the load-carrier upon its entrance therein.

let. In combination a ropeway having a carrier and means for traversingthe carrier thereon, a hoisting-tube leading up to the ropeway andhaving an exit-opening beneath the ropeway, a load-hoist operatingwithin said tube and adapted to present the load to the ropeway-carrier,said hoist having a loadreceiving hook extending toward the carrier inits approach, and the load-carrier having an oppositely-extending hookadapted to engage and remove the load from the hoisting device. a

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing Witnesses.

THOMAS SPENCER MILLER.

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